History of Purvis Street School (S.S. #8 Front of Yonge)
While we acknowledge that this school was located in the Twp. of Front of Yonge, we have included it on our website because of its closeness to Lyn. The students and families that sent their children to this school would have considered Lyn as the nearest town where they would shop etc. Many of the names seen on these photos will be familiar to the residents of Elizabethtown-Kitley Township.
The brick school was closed in 1967. It had been built in 1890 to replace a stone building which had been erected in 1844.
On May 12th, 1890, the ratepayers held a meeting and voted 11 in favour and 9 against the building of this new school. The secretary was advised to advertise in a Brockville paper for tenders for construction.
On June 16, 1890, a trustee meeting was held at John Chick’s residence when the following resolution was passed: “The tender of George Aaron Purvis of Purvis Street to build a second school similar to one recently built near the Toll Gate on the Perth Road, at the rear of Brockville for the sum of $675.00 and use the old material from the other school was accepted. (the school referred to was the brick school on the Chemical Road in Elizabethtown).
A plate bearing the date of the old school was transferred to the new one.
The first teacher at the new school was Miss Laura Clow and later Mrs. McCracken who received a salary of $225. The Caretaker received $15.00 a year.
In 1891 William Young furnished the material and built a wood shed for $80.
(Recorder & Times )
1896, June 12th (photo #1)
1930 Sept– Class ready to attend School Fair in Mallorytown Teacher was Winona Chick Names are by row, front to back, starting on the left: Row 1: Dick Herbison, George Shane Row 2: Geraldine Baile, Phyllis Herbison, Beth Chick Row 3: John Dunster, Arlene Gibson, M.Graham, H. Dunster Row 4: Bill Barrett, Kathleen Shanks, Dorothy Gibson Row 5: Stella Dunster, Winnie White, Lorne Gibson Row 6: Audrey Gibson, Dorothy Barrett (photo #2)
1934 Front Row: Beulah Louch, Willa Shane, Betty Barrett Middle Row: Wilson Purvis, Nancy Purvis, Horton Herbison Back Row: Jean Harrington, Roy Bushfield, Janet Purvis, Fred Barrett Teacher: Velma K. Graham (not in photo) (photo #3)
1944- Browns Bay Picnic (photo #4)
1944 Brown’s Bay Picnic (photo #5)
1945 Front Row: Glen Dack, Gary VanDusen, Charlie May Back Row: Gerald Dack, Orren Louch, Elson Dack, Frank Purvis (Teacher) not shown (photo #6)
1946 – Front Row: Gary Van Dusen, Glen Dack, Charlie May, Dianna Purvis, Dorothy Scott. Middle: Jackie Purvis, Audrey Dack, Gerald Dack Back Row: Frank Purvis, Elson Dack, Oren Louch (photo #7)
1947c – Picnic at Brown’s Bay – Front Row: Charlie May, Allen Purvis, Diana Purvis, Ruth Bushfield, Gary VanDusen, Glen Dack Back Row: Gerald Dack, Jackie Purvis, Audrey Dack, Frank Purvis (photo #9)
1947c -Picnic at Brown’s Bay – L-R: Frank Purvis, Gerald Dack, Charlie May, Allen Purvis, Gary Van Dusen, Glen Dack, Jackie Purvis, Audrey Dack, Dianna Purvis, Ruth Bushfield (photo #10)
1950c – Front Row: Allan Purvis, Harry Purvis, Charles May, Glen Dack Middle Row: Georgina Burroughs, Morlene Burroughs Back Row: Gary VanDusen, Miss Myrtle Bellamy (Teacher) (photo #11)
1950 – Janet Michie, Teacher (photo #12)
1953 – Front Row: Harry Purvis, Sheila Herbison, Bill Purvis, Sandra McNish, Miss Mary White (Hendry) Teacher Back Row: Allan Purvis, Glenn Dack, Georgine (Mary) Farkey [sic] Note: Sheila Herbison started school early or there wouldn’t have been enough children to keep the school open. (photo #13)1953 – Teacher Myrtle Bellamy Johnson (photo #14)
1954c – Front Row: Sheila Herbison, Harry Purvis, Bill Purvis, Sandra McNish Back Row: Allen Purvis, Glen Dack, Georgine Burroughs (photo#15)
1954 – Brown’s Bay Picnic Only Two Boys identified on the left: Charlie May and Gerald Dack (photo #16)
1954, December Christmas Concert Teacher: Marilyn White L-R: Wayne Herbison, Sheila Herbison, Jean Van Dusen (photo #17)
1955c Front Row: Bill Purvis, Sandra McNish, Sheila Herbison, Wayne Herbison Back Row: Harry Purvis (Not all identified) (photo #18)
1955c Inside the school (photo #19)
1955c – Inside the school (photo #20)
1957 – Teacher Janet Michie (photo #21)
1957, April – Teacher Janet Michie (photo #22)
1958 -Front Row: Sheila Herbison, Bill Purvis, Wayne Herbison Back Row: Unknown, Bill Purvis, Unknown (photo #23)
1960 – front Row: Harry Purvis, Sheila Herbison, Bill Purvis, Wayne Herbison back Row: no names (photo #24)
Purvis Street School (photo #25)
Purvis Street School (photo #26)Purvis Street School (photo #27)
June 29, 1967 Recorder and Times Photo (photo #28)
Teachers at the school in no particular order were:
It was about the middle of January. We had been nearly snowed under from a week’s snow storm, then rain that flooded the flats along the creek, and a sudden change to a very cold weather that froze the snow, making a glare sheet of ice from the Lyn Road down across to the creek that was still level with its banks.
Bay and James Streets, no photos presently exist of the hill that Walter Billings wrote about
Sunday afternoon my cousin with his parents came up for a visit. We two were out in the yard, playing on the crust with the big hand sleigh, and looking across to Harper’s hill, decided it would be a good chance to try a ride there. We walked up the road, climbed the fence and got the sleigh in position, then I lay down on my stomach and my cousin lay on my back. Away we went! The hill at the top was very steep, the sleigh gained speed and in seconds we were on the glare ice of the flat, then across the creek, up the bank and …Then I came to. We had gone head first into a clump of small bass-woods. My cousin seeing the danger had thrown himself clear but I had no chance; the force of the collision had knocked me out for a minute or two. We finally got back across the creek, where my cousin laid me on the sleigh and began the long pull back to the house. We finally got to the warmth of the barn where I lay down on the straw in the feed floor, in front of the cattle for an hour. When I returned to the house, where my uncle was waiting to go home, I complained of a headache and got sent to bed. Next morning I felt better but never told Mother what had happened, as I knew that she would say it was good enough for me, when I had gone sleigh-riding on Sunday.
Driving along the Lyn Road I often look down the hill. The line fence has been moved and passes close to the clump of trees we hit that Sunday long ago. The sand and gravel have been taken away to the city so that there is no more fun on Harper’s hill. But the memory of that boyhood escapade still lives.
S.S. No 2 & 3 in Young and S.S. No. 18 in Elizabethtown
We are fortunate to have in our collection the Minute Book and Ledger for this school for the years 1877 to 1893. Unfortunately there are some pages missing and some so faded that they are un-readable.
This book gives us some insight into the function of the school during this time period.
The Expense Ledger is located in the middle of this page.
Local School Tax Assessments by landholder is at the bottom of this page
Teacher’s Contract for 1882
Memorandum of Agreement made this 31st day of January 1882 between the Public School Trustees of S.S. Nos. 2&3 Yonge and 28 Elizabethtown and Florence Sherwood of the Town of Brockville, the holder of a Third Class Certificate of Qualification as a Public School Teacher in Ontario as follows:
The Trustees hereby employ for their said school such teacher at the yearly salary of two hundred and fifty dollars ($250.00) for the term of one year beginning on the first day of January one thousand eight hundred and eighty two and ending on the thirty-first day of December in the same year. And further agree that they and their successors in office will pay such salary to the said Teacher at least yearly, and will exercise all powers and perform all duties under the Public Schools Act, and Regulations of the Education Department which may be required for making such payment.
The Teacher agrees with the said Public School Trustees to teach and conduct the said school during the said term according to the said Law and Regulations in that behalf.
The foregoing is subject to the following conditions: (1) That the Teacher shall continue to be the holder of a legal Certificate of qualification as a Public School Teacher in Ontario (2) That holidays and vacations prescribed by the Law and Regulations are excepted from the said term (3) That the days on which the Teacher has attended the meetings of Teacher’s Association or Institutes as certified by the Inspector of Chairman thereof, shall be allowed her as if she had actually taught in the said School; and (4) That in case of sickness as certified by a registered Medical Practitioner, he shall be entitled to receive his salary without deduction for such period as may be authorized under the Statute in his behalf.
The Trustees and the Teacher may at their option respectively terminate this agreement by giving notice in writing to the other of them at least ___ months previously and so as to terminate on the last day of a calendar month.
This agreement shall also be construed to continue in force year to year, unless and until it is terminated by the notice herein before prescribed.
As witness the Corporate Seal of the said Trustees and the hand and seal of the Teacher, on the day and year first above mentioned.
Signed: Florence Sherwood, Teacher
Trustees: G.A. Purvis; James Dickey; Nelson Forrester
Teachers as per Record Book:
1877 Caroline A. Murray
1881 Hattie Davis, salary $250.00
1882 Florence Sherwood, of the Town of Brockville, salary $250.
1883 Jennie Robertson, of Augusta, salary $265.00
1884 Jennie Robertson, of Augusta, salary $265.00
1885 Jennie Robertson, of Augusta, salary $265.00
1886 Christine Wilson, salary of $300.00
1887 Jennie Madden of Delta , salary $280.00
1889 Jean Beatty of Lansdowne, salary of $300.
1889 A.R.Rowsom of Athens at $25. per month for the term beginning 19th August 1889 ending the 31st of December of the same year
1890 Edith Tennant of Caintown , salary of $275.00
Accounts Ledger for Yonge Mills School 1877 to 1893
1877
Credits
Balance on hand from last account
$17.48
Clergy Money
$2.33
County Assessment for Yonge
$27.00
County Assessment for Elizabethtown
$2.66
Clergy Money for 1874 $1.00 Elizabethtown
$1.00
Government Grant
$24.08
Rate Bill for 1877
$316.95
Total:
$391.50
Notes at end of page
Bought of John Dickey eight cords hard wood at $2.75 per cord
Bought of Anson McLean four cords soft wood at $1,75 per cord
Bought of J.P.Buell 125 posts at $10, per hundred
Bought twenty five hundred ft lumber at $10.00 per thousand
one hundred lbs nails at $3.00 per hundred
1877
Debits
Feb 8th
paid John Dickey per James Dickey for wood
$15.00
“
for postage and change of money
$0.05
Feb 14th
Bought one pail and dipper
$0.50
postage
$0.05
A. H. McLean for wood
$7.00
paid J.P. Buell for posts
$10.00
one broom
$0.30
Paid H. Clow for building
$16.00
Paid Teacher
$15.00
Paid Teacher
$24.08
Paid for posts
$2.50
paid J.Phillips for repairing stove
$1.50
paid for sawing 10 1/4 cords wood .45¢ per chord
$4.62
Paid Henry Clow 50¢ extra for gateway
$0.50
paid to H.McLean for lumber
$1.30
paid to H.McLean for drawing lumber
$5.00
paid for lumber 2500 ft
$25.00
paid for 83 lbs nails at 3¢ per lb
$2.61
paid for building fires
$2.00
paid for cleaning School house
$2.00
Paid Teacher
$15.00
Paid Teacher
$70.00
Paid interest on H. Clow’s note
$0.56
paid for prize books
$5.00
paid for collecting school bills
$3.17
paid for wood John Dickey
$1.50
paid Teacher in full
$125.92
paid difference on J.McNish’s School bill
$1.49
1878
Money Received
balance on hand from last account
$33.18
Municipal Assessment for Yonge
$25.50
Municipal assessment for Elizabethtown
$4.06
Aug
Government grant for Yonge
$21.86
Government grant for Elizabethtown
$4.09
Dec
School assessment for 1878
$248.18
Credits
$336.87
Debits
$328.39
Balance on Hand
$16.38
1879
Money Received
Balance on Hand from last account
$16.38
Jan 16th
Municipal Assessment for Yonge for 1878
$24.24
“
Municipal Assessment for Elizabethtown for 1878
$5.89
Aug
Government Grant for Yonge
$20.00
Government Grant for Elizabethtown
$3.20
Dec
School Assessment for Yonge
$231.65
School Assessment for Elizabethtown
$75.14
Total
$376.50
Expenses
$298.87
Balance on Hand
$77.63
1879
Expenses
Jan
Postage
$0.14
“
Broom
$0.25
Feb
Chalk
$0.30
“
Paid Teacher
$30.13
“
Paid A.H. McLean for Wood
$16.00
June
Dilaper [sic] from L.W. Coward
$0.13
“
Paid Teacher
$25.00
Aug
Paid Teacher
$23.20
“
buy a broom
$0.30
Oct
Three Window Curtains
$1.60
“
Chalk
$0.40
Nov 23rd
Paid for sawing wood @ .35¢ per cord
$3.50
Dec 23rd
Paid Teacher
$112.67
Dec 17th
Paid Teacher
$75.00
“
Interest on Note
$0.75
“
Paid J.Scott for repairing grounds around house
$3.50
“
W.Scott for building fires
$2.00
Abe ?? For whitewashing and cleaning house
$4.00
Total
$298.87
1880
Money Received
Balance on hand from last account
$77.63
Jan 23rd
Municipal Assessment for Yonge for 1879
$23.67
Municipal Assessment for Elizabethtown for 1879
$3.49
Juy 31st
Government Grant for Yonge
$17.69
“
Government Grant for Elizabethtown
$2.34
Dec 20th
School Assessment for Yonge
$172.42
“
School Assessment for Elizabethtown
$74.55
“
Government Grant for Elizabethtown
$1.24
Dec 24th
Received for Prize Books
$0.60
total
$373.63
expenses
$344.69
Balance on hand
$28.94
$7.40 Dollars to be collected on Yonge Mills Property
1881
Money Received
Balance on Hand from last account
$28.94
Jan 24th
Municipal assessment for Yonge for 1880
$21.00
“
Municipal assessment for Elizabethtown for 1880
$5.02
June 13th
Received from Council for use of School House
$3.00
July 28th
Government Grant for Yonge 1881
$19.76
“
Government Grant for Elizabethtown 1881
$3.10
Dec 24th
School Assessment for Yonge
$171.85
“
School Assessment for Elizabethtown
$63.15
Balance
$315.82
1881
Expenses
Jan 8th
For cleaning School House and after Election
$2.50
Jan 29th
1 Box of chalk
$0.35
Feb 2nd
5 cords of Soft Wood at $1.60 per cord
$8.00
“
5 cords hard wood at $2.50 per cord
$12.50
Mar 3rd
Two Brooms
$0.50
April 7th
paid insurance on School House
$6.40
June 20th
One pail $1.25 and dipper .13¢
$1.38
Aug 20th
Cleaning School House
$2.00
Aug 24th
Paid Teacher
$26.02
Aug 30th
for postage
$0.06
Oct 2nd
Paid Teacher
$22.86
Dec 1st
Sawing 10 cords wood at .30¢ per cord and putting in shed .25¢
$3.25
Dec 23rd
Paid Teacher in Full
$201.12
Dec 27th
Drawing Lumber from Lyn
$0.75
Total
$287.69
1882
Receipts
Balance brought forward
$28.13
Received .50¢ for door
$0.50
March 18th
Received from the Municipal Assessment for Elzabethtown in 1881
$2.24
April 5th
Received from the Municipal Assessment for Yonge in 1881
$22.00
October 28th
Government Grant for Yonge
$20.86
Dec 5th
Government Grant for Elizabethtown
$3.60
Dec 22nd
Received School Tax Yonge
$183.00
Dec 26th
Received School Tax Elizabethtown
$76.11
Total
$336.44
Expenses
$274.34
Balance on Hand
$62.10
1882
Expenses
Paid F.Cowley for building fires for 1881
$2.00
Jan 9th
Paid N.L Gardiner for cleaning the school
$2.00
Jan 10th
Paid John McKay for plastering
$1.50
Jan 30th
Paid Edwin Bagg for porch and repairs
$16.68
March 1st
Postage
$0.06
“
1 box Chalk
$0.35
March 18th
Paid Teacher
$2.24
April 5th
Paid Teacher
$22.00
Sept 2nd
2 brooms
$0.50
Oct
Paid Teacher
$20.85
Dec 5th
Paid Teacher
$3.60
Dec 18th
Paid Clifford Kerr for building fires
$1.25
Dec 22nd
Paid as Final Payment to Teacher
$201.31
Total expenses
$274.34
1883
Credits
Balance brought forward from last account
$62.10
Dec 29th
To cash for use of Schoolhouse for the municipal election 1882
$4.00
March 5, 1883
Received from Municipal assessment for Yonge $20.03
$20.03
June 4th
Received from Township Treasurers for use of schoolhouse for Municipal Elections, 1883
$3.00
August 20th
Received from Municipal assessment and Government Grant for Elizabethtown
$5.89
Sep 10th
Received Government Grant for Yonge
$28.22
Dec 15th
Received School tax for Yonge
$183.37
Elizabethtown Government Grant
$1.00
Received School Tax Elizabethtown
$41.63
Dec 26th
total
$351.41
Expenses
$296.90
Balance on hand
$54.51
1883
Debits
Jan 2nd
Paid for cleaning schoolhouse after election
$2.50
Jan 9th
Paid A.McLean for sawing wood
$3.50
Jan 13th
Paid Henry Gibson for 10 cords wood, 2.50
$25.00
Jan 16th
Paid to J.Jarvis for building fires
$0.50
March 6th
Paid J. Robertson, Teacher cash
$30.00
June 9th
Paid for cleaning schoolhouse after election
$2.00
paid postage
$0.05
Aug 18th
Bought dipper for School
$0.10
Sep 12th
Paid Jas. Cummings Arbitration bill
$8.20
Sep 29th
Paid J. Robertson, Teacher cash
$24.00
Dec 15th
Paid for chalk and brooms
$0.80
Dec 18th
Paid J. Robinson balance of salary
$176.00
Paid J. Phillips for fixing stove
$1.75
Dec 21st
Paid Jas. Dickey for building fires
$2.50
total
$296.90
1884
Credits
Dec 26th
Balance on Hand
$54.51
Feb 2nd
Municipal Assessment Yonge
$26.80
Municipal Assessment Elizabethtown
$4.70
Apr 19th
Rent for School House
$8.00
July 30th
Government Grant for Elizabethtown
$3.78
July 30th
Government Grant for Yonge
$26.63
Nov 25th
Received School tax for Yonge
$184.39
Nov 25th
Received School Tax Elizabethtown
$58.13
Total
$367.02
Expenses
$323.96
Balance on Hand
$43.06
1884
Debits
Jan 3rd
Postage
$0.08
Feb 2nd
Foe cleaning school house
$2.00
Feb 5th
Insurance on School House
$5.28
Feb 5th
for wood
$4.00
March 7th
Cutting wood and splitting same in wood shed
$5.20
Apr 14th
For 13 cords of wood at $2.50 a cord
$32.50
June 2nd
for cleaning school house
$4.00
July 15th
Paid James C. Dickey for wood and lime
$3.15
Dec 13th
Paid Teacher
$265.00
Dec 17th
Crayons
$0.25
building fires
$2.50
total
$323.96
1885
Credits
Jan 2nd
Balance on hand
$43.06
Feb 14th
Municipal Assessment Elizabethtown
$2.82
Feb 14th
Clergy Reserve
$1.00
Feb 14th
Municipal Assessment Yonge
$26.78
Mar 2nd
Clergy Reserve
$1.25
Mar 2nd
Rent for school House
$4.00
Mar 2nd
Rent for school House
$4.00
Mar 2nd
for glass that has broken
$0.20
Sep 1st
Government grant for Elizabethtown
$1.15
Sep 1st
Government grant for Yonge
$16.07
Sep 1st
Clergy Reserve for Yonge
$0.22
Sep 1st
School tax for Yonge
$199.68
Sep 1st
School tax for Elizabethtown
$58.87
Total
$359.10
Expenses
$326.90
Balance on Hand
$32.20
1885
Debits
Jan 10th
for cleaning school house
$2.00
Jan 10th
Lining Stove Bond [sic]
$2.50
Feb 7th
Paid James Polly for eave troughs
$14.45
Feb 20th
Paid Arthur Purvis for 13 cords wood at $2.50
$32.50
March 2nd
paid teacher
$30.00
May 22nd
paid for brooms
$0.60
July
paid teacher
$10.00
Sep
paid teacher
$15.00
Paid balance due teacher
$210.00
for building fires and furnishing kindling
$4.00
for cutting wood and putting same in wood house
$5.85
$326.90
1886
Credits
Jan 1st
Balance on hand from last year
$32.20
Feb 18th
Municipal assessment Yonge
$21.89
Municipal assessment Elizabethtown
$4.43
March
Rent for school house
$4.00
Aug 17th
Government grant for Yonge
$18.80
Government grant for Elizabethtown
$5.22
Received for glass that was broken
$0.40
Dec
School taxes for Yonge
$204.57
School taxes for Elizabethtown
$71.59
total
$363.16
Expenses
$329.85
Balance on hand
$33.31
1886
Debits
Jan
for cleaning house
$2.00
Jan
for five cords of wood at $2.80
$14.00
March
material for blackening the blackboard
$0.40
March
two brooms, one pail, box of crayons
$1.15
March
paid the teacher
$25.00
May
Water Barrel
$0.50
July
Box of crayons
$0.25
July
paid the teacher
$50.00
Aug
for cleaning house
$2.00
Sept
paid the teacher
$25.00
Oct
paid for glass and putty
$0.25
Oct
paid Robert Ayers for painting school house
$1.50
Dec
paid the teacher
$200.00
Dec
paid G. Burnham for putting wood in wood house
$1.00
Dec
for building fires and furnishing kindling
$4.00
Dec
paid James Purvis interest
$2.00
Dec
paid Able McLean for repairs
$0.50
Dec
for stationary and postage
$0.30
$329.85
1887
Credits
Feb
Balance on hand from last account
$33.31
Feb 8th
Municipal grant for Yonge
$20.40
“
Municipal grant for Elizabethtown
$5.02
June
received for rent
$8.00
Aug
Government grant for Yonge
$16.90
“
Government grant for Elizabethtown
$5.25
Dec
School taxes for Yonge
$177.82
Dec
School taxes for Elizabethtown
$68.42
total
$335.12
expenses
$297.63
Balance on hand
$37.49
1887
Debits
Feb 8th
Insurance on School House
$5.28
“
paid for splitting wood
$0.50
“
cash for one calculator
$1.50
“
paid for cleaning School House
$2.50
“
paid Teacher
$10.00
May
paid Teacher
$5.00
“
Cash for Black board
$2.50
“
Two Brooms .60¢, Box of Crayons .25¢
$0.85
“
Repairs on Door
$0.25
June
paid Teacher
$25.00
Sept 15th
paid Teacher
$5.00
Oct
paid Teacher
$30.00
“
repairing windows
$0.25
Dec 23rd
Cash to Teacher
$205.00
“
paid for building fires and furnishing kindling
$4.00
$297.63
1888
Credits
Jan 2nd
Balance on hand from 1887
$37.49
Feb 27th
Municipal grant for Yonge
$16.64
“
Municipal grant for Elizabethtown
$3.44
March 5th
Received for Rent
$4.00
Sept 15th
Government Grant for Yonge
$17.75
“
Government Grant for Elizabethtown
$1.09
Dec 14th
School Tax for Yonge
$206.00
“
School Tax for Elizabethtown
$75.43
total
$361.84
expenses
$339.50
Dec 26th
Balance on hand at year end 1888
$22.34
1888
Debits
Jan 25th
Paid for splitting and piling wood
$1.00
Feb 11th
Paid for cleaning school house
$2.50
Mar 10th
Paid for 18 cords stove wood at $1.75 per cord
$31.50
Mar 24th
paid for glass and putty
$0.25
Mar 28th
Paid Teacher
$5.00
Apr 4th
Paid Teacher
$15.00
Sep 12th
Paid Teacher
$10.00
Sep 21st
Paid Teacher
$15.00
Nov 29th
One box of crayons
$0.15
“
one light of glass
$0.10
Dec 15th
Paid Teacher
$255.00
Dec 26th
Paid for building fires and furnishing kindling
$4.00
$339.50
1889
Credits
Jan 1st
Balance on hand fro 1888
$22.34
Municipal grant for Yonge
$16.77
Municipal grant for Elizabethtown
$2.23
Legislation grant for 1889
$19.70
” Elizabethtown
$2.18
Dec 17th
received for rent
$4.00
School tax for Yonge
$252.48
School tax for Elizabethtown
$84.87
total
$404.57
expenses
$353.18
Balance on hand at year end 1889
$51.39
1889
Debits
Jan 2nd
Repairing the door
$1.50
Jan 12th
paid for cleaning the school house
$2.50
Jan 21st
paid for two brooms
$0.60
“
paid for light of glass
$0.20
Mar 29th
paid for wood
$17.00
“
Paid Teacher
$19.00
April
paid for tablets
$2.75
July 1st
Paid Teacher on salary
$80.00
Oct 11th
Balance for wood
$4.00
“
Box of Crayons
$0.25
“
nine inch Globe
$10.00
Nov
Repairs for outbuilding
$2.50
One lock for the door
$0.75
113 feet of lumber for school
$1.13
for nails and hinges
$0.70
for advertising
$1.00
Dec 24th
two rods for stove and repairs on evespout
$1.50
“
building fires
$4.00
“
interest on money
$2.80
“
Paid Teacher
$76.00
“
Paid Teacher
$125.00
Total expenses for 1888
$353.18
1890 Credits are un-readable
1891 Balance sheet is missing
1892
Credits
Balance on hand from 1891
$26.51
No Dates
Municipal grant from Yonge
$18.15
given
Municipal Grant from Elizabethtown
$2.72
Legislative Grant from Yonge
$18.00
Legislative Grant from Elizabethtown
$1.87
School Section Taxes
$63.27
Township school taxes
$26.64
School Section Taxes Yonge
$209.61
$366.77
Debits
$308.34
Balance on hand at year end
$58.43
1892
Debits
No dates
Repairing porch
$1.50
given
1 light of glass
$0.08
two brooms
$0.40
1 Box chalk
$0.25
Paid Teacher
$20.00
12 cords stove wood at $1.75
$21.00
1 cord dry wood
$3.00
Sawing wood
$0.50
Planting Trees
$2.00
Paid Teacher
$20.00
2 brooms .50¢, 1 box chalk .25¢
$0.75
2 lights glass 16¢, 2 Dozen hooks .50¢
$0.66
1 lock .90¢, 1 latch .25¢
$1.15
for putting on locks, hooks etc.
$0.80
Cleaning School House
$2.25
Building fires
$4.00
Balance of teachers salary
$230.00
Totals:
$308.34
1893
Credits
No dates
Balance on Hand from 1892
$58.43
given
Municipal Grant fro Yonge
$18.02
Municipal Grant from Elizabethtown
$4.20
Legislative Grant from Yonge
$23.00
Legislative Grant from Elizabethtown
$4.23
School Section Taxes Elizabethtown
$89.40
Township election for use of School House
$4.00
School Section Taxes Yonge
$269.87
Total receipts
$471.15
debits
$440.24
Balance on Hand
$30.91
1893
Debits
No dates
Paid Teacher
$20.00
Given
Cleaning School House
$2.25
15 cords stove wood 1.70 per cord
$26.25
splitting and putting in wood
$1.25
paid on seats
$25.00
putting in seats
$1.50
bringing seats from Brockville
$2.00
Painting School House
$16.00
Paint, oil etc
$8.19
Cleaning School House
$2.00
Putting in wood
$1.50
Glass and putting in
$0.55
Brooms
$0.45
Balance on School Seats
$69.30
Balance on Teachers Salary
$260.00
Building fires
$4.00
Total:
$440.24
Tax Assessment for 1877
Name
Assessment
Tax
Amos Gardiner
$1,900
$9.50
Joseph Parker
$600
$3.00
Samuel Holbensworth
$1,600
$8.00
Henry Caldwell
$1,200
$6.00
Mark Green
$1,600
$8.00
William Tufts
$500
$2.50
Nelson Pennock
$400
$2.00
William Eyres
$250
$1.25
Richard Eyres
$250
$1.25
Burrell Burnham
$550
$2.75
James Purvis
$3,000
$15.00
Samuel Avery
$1,600
$8.00
Joseph Avery
$2,100
$10.50
Arthur Purvis
$2,850
$14.25
Henry Gibson
$400
$2.00
Ormond Gibson
$200
$1.00
Alexander Gibson
$200
$1.00
John A. Dickey
$1,450
$7.25
James Dickey
$1,950
$9.75
James Munroe
$2,300
$11.50
Anson H. McLean
$1,800
$9.00
Francis Scott
$750
$3.75
Johanthan Scott
$400
$2.00
Samuel Shipman
$1,100
$5.50
Erastus Brown
$2,100
$10.50
John Phillips
$1,600
$8.00
John S. McLean
$2,000
$10.00
John H. McLean
$600
$3.00
Norris G. Gardiner
$1,500
$7.50
Morton B. Gardiner
$1,500
$7.50
George Gardiner
$2,000
$10.00
Nelson Shipman
$5,480
$27.40
Lutger M.Shipman
$1,600
$8.00
Samuel H. Shipman
$1,925
$9.62
Bert Kelenbee
$400
$2.00
Sheldon Haws
$150
$0.75
John G. McDonald
$100
$0.50
G.G. Forrester (one forth off)
$3,200
$12.00
Nelson Forrester (one forth off)
$1,644
$6.16
James McNish (one forth off)
$8,500
$31.87
Abram Game (one forth off)
$1,600
$6.00
Rufus Game (one forth off)
$1,000
$3.75
John H. Game (one forth off)
$2,038
$7.65
$316.95
Tax Assessment for 1878
John A. Dickey
$1,600
$6.40
Samuel Shipman
$1,000
$4.00
A.H.McLean
$1,800
$7.20
Francis and Johnathan Scott
$1,100
$4.40
Erastus Brown
$2,000
$8.00
John Phillipws & Snider
$1,600
$6.40
James A. Dickey
$1,800
$7.20
Norris L. Gardiner
$1,500
$6.00
J.S. & J.C. McLean
$2,900
$11.60
G.T. Railroad
$500
$2.00
N.Shipman
$5,250
$21.00
L.M. Shipman
$1,800
$7.20
S. H. Shipman
$1,925
$7.70
Morton Gardinwe
$3,000
$12.00
Amos Gardiner
$1,900
$7.60
Joseph Parker
$550
$2.20
Edward Quinsey
$100
$0.40
John G. McDonald
$100
$0.40
G.G. Forrester 1/4 off $3170.
$2,378
$9.51
N.Forrester 1/4 off $1630.
$1,223
$4.89
James McNish 1/4 off $7890.
$5,918
$23.67
Abram Lane 1/4 off $1700.
$1,275
$5.10
Rufus Lane 1/4 off $1000
$750
$3.00
John H. Lane 1/4 off $2038
$1,529
$6.11
Cheese Factory 1/4 off $1000.
$750
$3.00
$176.98
Brought Forward
$72.40
John A.Dickey over assessed
-$1.20
Amount of School Assessment for 1878
$214.18
Balance Sheet 1881Balance Sheet 1881Property Assessment rollProperty Assessment RollInvoice for new school seatsTeacher’s ContractTeacher’s Contract
A story about growing up in the 1950’s By Ellery Edgeley
It could never be said, we kids were ever bored, or, had nothing to do! Regardless of the fact we lived in a smallvillage in the country, some activity or interesting diversion could always be found, to entertain ourselves, and occupy our recreational time. Typical of young children, we discovered a new and very different way of having fun, spending a few hours just relaxing, and, at the same time, touring the country side. Each day, Monday through Friday, the mail had to be delivered to the surrounding rural areas of Lyn, and this particular job belonged to a man named Mr. Ladd. Early every morning he would pick up the mail from the post office at Miller’s General Store, load his truck and head out to the back areas to deliver it. During the summer holidays one of the kids, who happened to be hanging around the store, asked Mr. Ladd, if he could go along, and assist him with the mail, and he agreed. This, as it turned out would be of great help, because now, if the mail box was located on the right hand side of the road, the truck pulled over and the helper could put the mail into the box, thus saving Mr. Ladd, from having to put the truck out of gear, hold the brake, lean over and place it in himself. The truck he drove was an old dark blue 1930’s Chevrolet with a square cab designed to hold two people, and on the back it had a large platform enclosed by front and side racks, probably used at one time to haul cans of milk. Having this helper along became a daily practice. Some of the other kids found out about these little jaunts their friend was making, so they asked Mr. Ladd if it would be all right if they could come along too, and being the good soul he was agreed. It wasn’t long before word spread, and soon the back of that old truck was beginning to fill up with anywhere from six to over a dozen kids. I honestly believe, even it there had been twenty or more kids, wanting to climb aboard and ride along, Mr. Ladd would have found some way of piling every one on. And the group was not all boys. This was one activity in which boys and girls joined together and shared the fun.
Mr. Ladd usually departed from the general store around 9:30 a.m. so everyone would have to be there shortly before then. As a rue, most kids our age are not early risers and hate to get out of bed in the morning, especially during the summer holidays, but there was always a couple who would be there at 8:00 anxious to get underway. One, by one, each of us would saunter up to the gathering place, some still half asleep, and wait, as Mr. Ladd sorted his load of mail.
There was one particular chap, named Dickie, who on many a day managed to just barely make it on time. Everyone would begin yelling for him to hurry up, and he would come running down the street, still munching away on his peanut butter and toast. His hair would be uncombed, sticking straight up, and he appeared as though he had slept in his clothes all night. Just as the truck started up, Dickie would jump up onto the back with the help of many hands.
The entire rural route usually took about three hours to complete. The long duration of time it took was probably due to the fact that very road travelled was dirt, with the exception of about half a mile. On hot, dry summer days a long cloud of dust trailed the mail truck as it journeyed along with its cargo of mail and kids. Leaving the village, we headed west into the country which contained some of the most beautiful dairy farms to be seen anywhere. In their lush green pastures, large herds of Holstein cows, along with a sprinkling of Jerseys could be seen grazing, while other fields contained clover and sprouts of corn. There were fields of uncut hay and its tall strands flowed like waves in a sea of green, as gentle summer breezes blew across them. The air had what we called, “that farm smell”, a combination of hay, silage and manure. Farmers were always busy working, whether on a tractor or driving a team of horses, but sometimes if they were near the road, they would often stop and come over for a short visit with Mr. Ladd and we kids. It didn’t take long, and after a few trips, we got to know everyone on the mail route. Not all of the homes on the route belonged to farmers; countless others were owned by people who were employed in the Town of Brockville. Besides travelling by farms the route also wound its way through heavily wooded areas, and in some places ran parallel to a couple of beautiful lakes.
During those long, hot summer days, only one thing ever stopped us group of kids from making the daily trip. Rain! On these days, only a helper went. But the rest of the time, the number always varied. As the days passed, we all became closer, like a family. We’d tell stories, make up games to play, and sing all kinds of songs. Riding in the open air with the wind blowing in our faces was thrilling and refreshing. There were a couple of spots o the route, where apple trees grew next to the road, and late in the summer they would start to bear apples. Mr. Ladd would sometimes pull off to the side of the road under them, and let us pick a few to eat. At this time of year, they were still quite green so we didn’t eat that many. No one wanted to get a stomach ache or worse. Most times, we’d just use them for target practice, throwing at a tree of large boulder in a field.
As I mentioned, the mail route ran through several heavy wooded areas, and one particular road on it was called ‘The Devil’s Door’ road. Located in the Yonge Mills area about five miles west of Lyn, it derived its name from the fact that it possessed a secret doorway to the bowels of the earth, and Devil himself. A short distance from the road an entrance to a passage-way could be seen, running between towering, deep crevice, rock edges on each side. Tall trees and a heavy concentration of thick brush shrouded the entire area in darkness, giving it a frightening, foreboding look, as if to warn any curious or daring soul, they should proceed no further. Should one be foolish enough to do so, they could be in grave, perilous danger. Wild stories were abound, of individuals, who had dared fate to enter ‘The Devil’s Door’ never to be seen again. It had been said to, that young children in particular should stay far away from the area, and never, never, venture too close, because the Devil would get them, and take them back to the centre of the earth. Each morning that old mail truck full of kids, had to pass by ‘The Devil’s Door’!
Every day, as we approached and passed by, everyone on the truck would stare at that entrance in fear, and pray that the old truck wouldn’t break down or quit right there. Once by we all breathed a little easier. Sometimes as we neared the door Mr. Ladd would slow down the truck, and holler ot and ask, if anyone wanted to get off and see the Devil. There was never any response; there were no brave takers on that truck. Still we were curious. Deep down inside, we all knew we wanted to see what was hiding beyond that entrance. The question was, were we brave enough!
Finally after much deliberation, we had all decided that the time had come. We should enter ‘The Devil’s Door’! The next morning we all gathered at Miller’s General Store, excited and ready to follow through with our planned escapade. With new found courage, we asked Mr. Ladd, if he would stop at ‘The Devil’s Door’, and take us in. He paused for a few seconds, glanced around at the dozen wide eyed kids and asked. “Are you sure you want to go in there? The Devil might get all of you kids!” At the moment we were still in village and everyone was brave, so without hesitation, a chorus of voices hollered out. “We’re not afraid of the devil, we’ll go in! There’s no devil there anyway.” With a twinkle in his eyes, Mr. Ladd agreed. “OK, I’ll stop and take you in, but remember, I warned you.” Everyone piled onto the back of the old mail truck and in boisterous, wild chatter we all began saying what we’d do when we got to the door and came face to face with the devil. As we pulled away, we secretly wondered if we’d ever see the village again.
A short distance from Lyn, we began making our first mail drops. ‘The Devil’s Door’ was still about a half hours drive yet, but the closer we got the more silent everyone became. There was no more brave talk or singing. Each person was quietly wrapped up in their own thoughts. As the truck turned onto ‘Devil’s Door’ road, all the bravery suddenly seem to dissipate. Everyone’s mind went into high emotional gear, conjuring up all kinds of wild notions and scenarios, about what may lie in waiting ahead. With intent eyes, we scanned the woods, expecting at any moment now, for a red man with horns, goatee and long sharp pointed tail, to leap out and pounce on all of us defenceless children. With his three pronged spear, he would force us deep into the bowels of the earth. The old truck rounded a slight bend in the road and came to a stop. There it was! The ‘Devil’s Door’! Now, as we stood in the safety of the truck, it looked more foreboding and sinister than ever before. Mr. Ladd turned the motor off, and got out of the truck. The silence was deafening. What if it wouldn’t start up again? Maybe we should leave while there was still time. Besides, I don’t recall seeing a rural mail box here on the side of the road with the name ‘Satan’ emblazoned on it, indicating a stop. “All right, who’s coming”, Mr. Ladd invited us. For a few second, no one spoke or moved. “I’ll go” came a voice, not exactly exuding a tone of courage. One by one, individuals climbed down from the truck, until a meagre total of seven brave soles gathered beside Mr. Ladd. Four boys and three girls. “What’s the mater?”. He asked, “Doesn’t anybody else want to come?” As the rest of us cowered in the back of the truck, I said “No Thanks, I can se it fine from right here.” No sense in chancing fate, I thought; all of those stories we heard, might just be true. I wasn’t about to be taken by the devil, down into the dark abyss of the earth, and hell below, sentenced to an eternity of stoking furnaces or worse. I was almost certain I hadn’t committed and sins recently, but then, maybe I had. Just to be on the safe side, I’d better not go. Better safe than sorry. As I looked around, it was relieving to see, that I was not the only smart person on board that truck. Or should I say, coward! Someone should stay behind anyway, in case something terrible did happen, we could go for help or let relatives know what had happened, when the others failed to return. All we could do now was watch, as Mr. Ladd, led the seven foolhardy, ‘would be’ adventures, into ‘The Devil’s Door’, and beyond. Slowly, they moved ever so carefully along the front of the towering stone walled ledge which ran up to the door and disappeared into the darkness beyond. This was probably, the last time we would ever see our friends again. We waited for what seemed an eternity. “Maybe we should holler and see if they’re OK!” someone peeped up. “No! Keep quiet! Do you want the Devil to know we’re here?” So we waited. Sitting there I knew that I had made the right decision not to go. Suddenly, screams came from somewhere deep in ‘The Devil’s Door’. Now, the screams verified I had been right. “What are we going to do?” Somebody yelled “Let’s get out of here!” All eyes were focused on the door entrance. “No. We have to wait for them.” The terrified screams continued, and before we could move someone came bolting out from the entrance. It’s always been said that boys can run faster than girls, this day proved it. For boys came blasting for dear life, out from the darkness and towards the safety of the truck and their waiting comrades. “Where’s everyone else?” Then came the three screaming girls, scrambling like the devil himself were chasing them. “What happened?” we demanded. Everyone was trembling with excitement! Still huffing and puffing to catch their breath, they quickly related their horrifying experience beyond the door way. Once they were deep inside the dark passage-way, surrounded by hugh trees, someone though they had seen what might have been the Devil himself. Mr. Ladd had seen the person or object first and warned the rest and, it was then that everyone began to scream and run for their lives and safety. “Oh no!” someone shouted. “Where’s Mr. Ladd? The Devil got him!” Now we were all doomed for sure we thought. Suddenly a relieved voice cried out. “There he comes, he’s OK! The devil didn’t get him.” Funny but Mr. Ladd didn’t seem to have the same urgency to run fro the entrance that the others did. As we watched him walk toward the truck, everyone was wishing he would hurry faster so we could get as far away from that spot as quickly as possible. “Where’d everybody go?” he asked.” I though you wanted to see the Devil and his passage-way.” No one spoke a word. We just stood in the back of the truck and stared at the entrance, waiting to see if the Devil was coming after us. As Mr. Ladd opened the door, and climbed into his truck, I could not help but notice a wide mischievous grin on his face. It was then that I began to wonder, just who the real devil might be. Much to our relief, the old mail truck fired up and slowly we crept away from “The Devil’s Door”.
We kids continued to ride along on that mail route for the rest of the summer, but every day when we passed by ‘The Devil’s Door’, everyone fell silent. To compound our fears, and apprehension, every so often, Mr. Ladd would slow down as if he were going to stop, and then ever so slowly drive on. The subject of ‘The Devil’s Door’ was never brought up again.
It had been a fun and mist unforgettable summer, but it came to an end. September meant we kids had to return to school, leaving Mr. Ladd to drive the rural mail route alone, without our help and company. In some ways it was probably a relief for him, not to have a bunch of noisy kids along, but then, being the kind of man he
Arthur and Hazel Ladd in 1940
was, I think he truly missed us. And now, the dark old blue mail truck, with its load of carefree children and our eerie, creepy visit to ‘The Devil’s Door’, are happy memories, from a time long ago.
My first drive in Eastern Ontario was on a June afternoon. My Mother, my two brothers, Herbert and Roy, and myself had arrived at Brockville only that morning and had been met by my father who had several months before accepted a position of district manager of the present Mutual Life Assurance Co. of Canada. We were the guests of his old time friend, John Elliott, on the staff of the Brockville Collegiate. It happened to be Circus day and so that morning I stood on Pearl St. and witnessed my first Circus parade, and shuddered with terror and delight as I saw the huge lumbering elephants and the cages with ions and other wild animals.
In the Early afternoon we had our first drive out to our new home in Lyn. I can still remember the exclamations of my mother over the beauty of the winding creek near the Billings’ home which always attracts my attention today.
When we reached the stucco covered old stone house that father had rented from Mr. Nelson Shipman we found that it was still in the process of being painted by Mr. Shipman’s nephew, Horace Gardiner. And the cute little front porch was all wet paint. It was only a little while before my brother Herbert had gotten his nice new suit covered with wet paint, much to the annoyance of my mother.
It was not until the following fall that I started to school. My first teacher was Miss. Ena Williamson, who had charge of the junior room which then occupied all of the lower floor. She became the wife of Dr. George Judson at the end of the year and my next teacher was a Mrs. Knapp. When I was promoted to the Senior room, my teacher was Miss Christina Wilson for the four years I spent there. When the Entrance examinations were tried, out of a class of eight pupils only one failed. The required marks for passing were 422 and I had the honor of heading the class with a total of 581 marks. Later on when I became a student in the Brockville Collegiate, it was found that I had obtained the highest marks of any student in the newly formed first form.
The original BCI before the fire of 1929 destroyed the school
At that time the Lyn students travelled to Brockville on the Grand Trunk Railway. The station was about a mile distant from the village and the students usually walked to catch the 8 a.m. mixed train which was very irregular in its time, sometimes not reaching town until nine o’clock. However we were not late very often. We would proceed to the school via the William Street crossing and return the same way to board one of the passenger cars awaiting us. Our evening train left at 5 p.m., so by the time we had reached home it was usually six o’clock. As we had left home by 7:30 a.m. it made a long day. On the train we met other collegiate pupils from Mallorytown and Landsdowne. I remember the three Fairlie Boys fro Lansdowne They were the sons of the Presbyterian Minister there and have since become leading Canadian citizens.
Before the year was over the Grand Trunk ceased to operate that nice little train and it was necessary for the Lyn pupils to obtain other transportation, several ‘loads’ were organized. The driver of the largest load was Howard Everts who later became a Public School Inspector in Saskatchewan. The son of our Methodist Minister, Milton Perley, was the driver of another load which included his sister Aleda, Lucy Cumming and myself. I well remember on one occasion when we were returning home right near Nigger Hill [1], Milton stopped to get a few nice apples from a near bye orchard. But I would not partake of any of these apples as I said they were ‘stolen’. It is interesting to note that Milton became a Methodist Missionary to China in later years!
Concerts in these days were few and far between and sometimes were held in conjunction with a sugar social or a strawberry festival. At one of these held in Buell’s Hall I can recall Mr. James Cumming as chairman introducing a young lady ‘who had come all the way from Scotland to sing the song “Green Grow the Rashes O!”. She shortly after became Mrs. Gordon Cumming. On another occasion in the school hall (the former junior room downstairs) I remember the Billings boys, Horace and Tom, amusing us greatly by the song “Johnny was the One I Wanted”. Horace died at an early age, but Tom is now Dr.T.H.Billings, in charge of an important city church in the U.S. Another performer on that programme was Frank Fulford who captivated us with his violin solos. He later became a wealthy man and lived in a castle in England.
C.P.R. Wharf Brockville
One great event in our lives was the time our Sunday School ran an excursion. We were transported from the B&W station to the C.P.R. dock in Brockville on flat cars, furnished with crude board seats and decorated with evergreen trees which however did not afford protection from the flying cinders. Next we boarded the steamer “John Haggart” for a wonderful trip among the Thousand Islands and I expect had our picnic lunch baskets with us. My mother was busy chatting to Dr. Jusdon when she was interrupted by her small daughter dashing up and exclaiming “Herbie’s lost his cap. It fell into the ‘crik’! That remark nearly finished Dr. Judson, I thought he would never stop laughing at one for calling the might St. Lawrence – a ‘crik’!
During the general elections of 1896 the boys and girls of Lyn Public School became keenly interested in politics and wore red or blue bans of ribbon to indicate their arty as ‘Grits’ and ‘Tories’. I think Mr. James Cumming was the Liberal candidate on that occasion but did not succeed in winning. However when Wilfred Laurier became the new Prime Minister, the village had a big celebration and Sir Charles Tupper was burned in effigy.
[1] Located on the Lyn Road app. ½ km south-east of the intersection with the Howard Road. So called because a black family, Mr. and Mrs White lived there.
Long ago, the death of an unidentified tramp led to a merry wake by the farmers of the region west of Lyn.
In the early 1800’s, two farmers found the body of a transient in a field north of Jones Creek. While they were discussing their find and wondering whether or not they should send a rider into Brockville to fetch a coroner, Charles Jones, the pioneer merchant and miller of Elizabethtown, rode up.
Jones, who had mills in Brockville, Jones Creek and Yonge Mills, as well as a general store in Brockville, told the farmers that Brockville had no coroner, and in fact the nearest medical examiner resided in Gananoque.
He also ventured the opinion that it was not necessary to incur needless expense and that the best thing to do under the circumstances was to give the victim a decent burial.
He suggested a cheap coffin be purchased and the unknown tramp laid to rest. He contributed $2.00 towards the cost.
After his departure, the farmers proceeded to search the pockets of the corpse, finding another $2.50. Neighbours were notified, and since there was no minister in the area, one of the best educated and influential settlers was chosen to conduct the service. The coffin was made in Lyn and the tramp duly placed in it.
The funeral service was held at a log house at Yonge Mills. The tramp was interred at an area graveyard, and after the service, the mourners discovered they still had $1.50 unexpended.
The question immediately arose, as to how it should be spent. By Universal consent, the mourners decided that the fund should be invested in spirits. In those days $1.50 bought quite a quantity of liquor. In fact, the gathering was supplied with a pail full of the best whisky available in the district. Every man present had several cups, until the pail was empty. Then they went home happy. Nothing was thought of the matter, the custom of ‘drinking’ being almost universal.
The tramp’s grave was never marked and the exact location is unknown today.
We have spent time going through our various scrapbooks, books of obituaries and special events of the people who lived in and around Lyn.
From this we have managed to compile lists of names of the various people in these books and placed them in one central location in our upstairs Mary Hudson Room.
The books contain the names and the location of where the information can be found within the museum’s scrapbooks.
For anyone doing research into their family tree, we might have information that may be of use to you.
The binders are available for research purposes during our normal Sunday hours.
A Brief History of the old Tincap school its’ teachers and students.
When the first frame school was erected around 1802 a shinny cap of tin was set on the cupola. It could be seen for miles, particularly on sunny days.
The school stood near the intersection of Hwy no. 29 and Kilkenny Road on the south sidde of Kilkenny Road. Col. David Breakinridge, later known as the “Duke of Leeds” or “Squire Breakinridge” was given a crown grant at Tincap in 1802 and the school was later built on a lot partitioned from this grant.
The first stone school was built near the Perth Road because of its accessibility to the road. In 1855 the first structure was demolished and replaced by a second school . The old tin cap was retrieved from the first school and placed atop the cupola of the second structure.
In 1894 this second school burned and was replaced with a new frame building and the tin cap was placed atop of this new school.
Early teachers at the original school were Jonathon Lyman and Miss Sarah Booth.
One of the first teachers at the second school was Mr. Bell, then Miss Jennie Smith, of Fairfield, who taught for several years. Later Mr. Morrison, who was described as having one arm, yet quite capable of wielding an oak rod with which he dealt out school justice to the unruly.
Other teachers were Mrs. Shepherd, Mrs. Fred Fulford and Miss Fannie Connor. Then Rev. W.A. McKenzie who was pastor of the First Presbyterian Church in Brockville for many years, taught at Tincap. He lived in Morristown, N.Y. and commuted daily by boat and foot to reach the school. After rowing across the St. Lawrence he would walk through Brockville and up the Perth Road five miles to reach the school. History doesn’t record what time he had to get up in order to maake the journey on time to open the school. In winter he is reported to walk across the ice to make this trip.
Then Miss Anna Hutcheson of Brockville, Mr. James D. Truesdell and then Miss Martha Maley, who later married Mr. Truesdell. Miss Eliza Fair, Miss Chipman Miss Moore. Later Mrs.J.D.Truesdell again taught at the school and was the teacher when the school burned around 1894.
During this time classes were held in the stone house owned by Mr. M. O’Donnell until the new frame building was ready for classes.
The new frame school was equipped with a Tin Cap and a bell to keep the community linked to the original name. The first teacher in the new school was Miss Susie Hanna of Lyn and some of the pupils then attending were: Newton, Vida and Laura Young; Edward, William and John O’Donnell; Kitty, Edward and Elva Charlton; Minnie Warren, Katie Rogers, Gertrude and Gordon Thompson, Mary Bolger, Edwin Parker; Frank, Eva and Fannie Darling, and Flora Johnston. School records state that when this new frame school was being built, a carpender named Downey was killed in a fall from the roof.
Afterwards Mr. Albert Baker taught for one term. Then Miss Mabel Grant taught for five years. Among others who taught later were: Lena Beale, Rose Bresie, Stella Beale, Margaret Carr, Anna Anglin, Winnie Wilson, Anna Elliott, Violet Elliott, Vera Armstrong, Lela Wilson, Katherine Heffernan, Margaret Clow, Laura Dudley, Hazel Plunkett and Florence Ware.
School Superintendents Report (Ontario Archives)
Shows the following information, which in some cases contradicts what we have already researched, and contradicts other filed School Superintendents Reports:
1850: Stone building, constructed in 1844, condition: Good
1854: Frame building first opened in 1800
1905- earliest photo of the old frame school (photo #1)
Front Row: Wilbert Lang, Mary Davidson, Elva Charlton, Emma Clow; Clemma Clow
Back Row: James Thompson, Allen Davidson, Eva Jenton, (in door) Lottie Young and Margaret Carr (Teacher)
Side of Bldg: Jessie Davidson and Eva Davidson (twins)
1920 Tincap School Fall Fair (photo #2)
1925c Winter at the school (photo #3)
1936/37- Front Row: Russel brown, Harold Husdon, Gladys Simpson, Betty Simpson, Marion Hudson, Sheila Simpson, Charles Brown, Jackie Hudson, Ethel Hudson Middle Row: Shirley Simpson, Waldo Gilroy, Okel Bowen, Wilma Simpson, Kathleen Tutak, Marie Rowsome, Jack Locke, Philip Simpson, Geraald Briggs. Back Row: Alfred Clements, Douglas Simpson, Florence Ware (Teacher), Pearl Church. (photo #4)
1930c (photo #5)
1934 – Front Row: Ethel Hudson, Marie Rowsome, Edna Findon, Welma Simpson, Shirley Simpson, Marion Hudson Middle Row: Albert Clements, Gerald Briggs, Pearl Church, John Findon, Hazel Hudson, Archie Worden, Alfred Clements Back Row: Elsie Simpson, Fern Quinn, Greta Locke, Beatrice Church (photo #6)
1940c (photo #7)
1945 (photo #8)
1948, June- Lions Club Music Festival (photo #9)
1950 – Front Row: Gary MacDonald, Billy Hudson, unk, John Tristram, Barry Moffat, Alva Sheffield, Unk, Wilhemina TeKemp, Lynn MacDonald Middle Row: Dinie TeKamp, Aleatha Burns, Beverly Tristram, Joan Loche, Lillan Kalenck, Unk Shipman, Marilyn Halfpenny, Rhena Sheffield Back Row: Langford Mattice, Billy Halfpenny, Doug Johnson, Dennis Cooke, Ronnie White, Marilyn Brown, Grace Christie, Dorothy Wykes (Teacher), Barbara Spicer, Dorothy Kelly, Beatrice DeBruge, Verna DeBruge, Grace Christie, Shirley Conthe (photo #10)
1953 -(photo #11)
1955 – School Choir –Front Row: Angelina Stevens, Linda Simpson, Shirley Serson, Linda Ladd, Betty/Bobby Marginson; Ron Valcour, Bruce Gaskell Middle Row: Evertt Adamson, Billy Davison, Betty Simpson, David Serson, Geraldine Shearer, Jo Ann Chrechton, Carol Ann Jones, Linda Massey Back Row: Malcom Cambell, Marilyn York, Jim Carr, Georgina Edgeley, Doris Giffin, Ellery Edgeley (photo #12)
1956 – (photo #13)
1956 teacher Mary Munro (photo #14)
Certificate of Honor to Haveleigh MacNaamara (photo #15)
Spring Valley School was first located at the corner of W.E. Stewart’s field to the left of Ruben Davis’ driveway. The original school was an unpainted frame building that got so old, it could no longer be kept warm in winter. In 1878 the present school was completed further down the road and opened in September of that year. The foundation for this school was laid in 1877. The land was donated by Frank McCrae on condition that the building be used for both school and church purposes. The first contract to build the new school was not completed and later Harvey Hayes took the contract and hired James Davidson to do the work. The school opened in September 1878 with Miss Jennie Grant the first teacher. The first gathering in the school was a church service on Sunday conducted by Rev. Mr. Blair who was the Pastor of the Lyn Circuit, prior to classes starting. The enrollment of the school in 1902 was 27 pupils and in 1950 was 18 pupils. (The original name of Spring Valley was Niblock’s Corners)
The school had its last class on June 29, 1965, after which students were bused to the new school at New Dublin.
The building is now the New Dublin Library and Town hall located at 4103 County Road 29
School Superintendents Report (Ontario Archives)
Shows the following information, which in some cases contradicts what we have already researched, and contradicts other filed School Superintendents Reports:
1850: Stone building, 22×28 in size, constructed in 1843, condition: Not Good
1854: Frame building first opened in 1816
The following information was extracted from the motion papers of the Elizabethtown Council 1855-1873: (Lyn Museum Archives)
That the sum of 20 pounds clear of all expenses be levied and collected on the rateable property of school section No 11.- 1862
Tax levies for School section No 11- 1862
Spring Valley School Expense Ledgers
Accounts Ledger for 1888 (photo #1)
Receipts for 1888
Feb 18th
Received Gov. Grant
$20.64
Aug 2nd
Received Municipal Grant
$20.78
Dec 20th
Received from John Holliday by direct tax
$200.18
Balance on Hand since ‘87
$29.32
$270.92
Expenses for 1888
Paid Teacher
$225.00
Paid for wood
$22.00
Paid for making fires and burying stove ashes
$5.00
Paid to Amos Disdmer [sic] for cleaning school
$3.00
Jan 2nd
to one broom
$0.25
2nd
to Postage
$0.02
2nd
To Repairs on Door
$1.00
7th
Part of a box of crayons
$0.25
Mar 9th
Two lights of glass
$1.00
Apr 9th
To one light of glass
$0.50
May 2nd
To repairs on fence
$0.25
Nov 24th
Two lights of glass
$1.00
Dec 24th
To one gate and trimmings
$11.00
$270.27
On the bottom of the 1888 Ledger:
Dec 21, 1888
Received in payment the sum of One Hundred and Eight Three Dollars and 33/100
signed: Laura Clow
1893 Account Ledger (Photo #2)
1893 School Expenses
Date
Item
Amount
Jan 6th
One Casting for seat
$0.50
7th
One Zinc
$0.85
12th
Got from Samuel Nash 10 cords @ $1.60 a cord
$16.00
23rd
Paid Harvey Hayes for work
$1.80
30th
Paid Morton Kendrick for wood
$2.50
Mar 4th
One box chalk
$0.25
4th
One Broom
$0.26
10th
Paid Truman Hayes for teaching
$41.72
10th
Paid for lumber
$1.98
13th
Paid Samual Aldrich for 10 cords of wood @ 1.45 a cord
$14.50
Apr 6th
Advertising for teacher
$0.50
6th
For black board paint
$2.50
May 5th
Paid William Stafford for the renewal of the Insurance Company
$4.25
Jun 9th
One paine of glass
$0.25
30th
Paid Emery Smith for teaching
$95.83
Aug 12th
Two paines of glass
$0.50
17th
Paid Terrence Glasier for work
$9.50
17th
Paid for work and scanthing [sic]
$1.00
23rd
One box of chalk
$0.25
Sep 12th
Paid MrBall for pointing up
$1.00
14th
Paid Smarts for paints, oils
$6.25
Oct 12th
Paid Miss Patent for teaching
$100.00
Nov 24th
One Broom
$0.25
24th
One box of chalk
$0.25
Dec 18th
One pain of glass
$0.25
20th
Paid Freddie Hayes
$6.75
20th
For interest on money
$7.00
$316.69
Dec 20th
Paid Miss Beturl [sic]
$70.00
1919 June – Class (Photo #3)
1919 Class- Front Row: Jimmy Deir, Geraldine Dier, Florence Green, Marion Murray, Vera Murray Back Row: Mamie Deir, Newton Pettem, Bernard Stewart, Percy Tackaberry, Miss Leacock (Teacher), Arthur Tackaberry, Jerome Deir, Artinsa Pettem, Ian Stewart (photo #4)
1920c Class –Front Row: Joe Deir, Walter Darling, Florence Anderson, James Deir, Marion Murray, Tom Gilroy, Fred Darling Back Row: Vera Murray, Adella Anderson, Agnes McCrae (Teacher), Arthur Tackaberry, Mamie Deir, Geraldine Deir (photo #5)
1925c Class at Spring Valley (photo #6)
1935 November, Class (Photo #7)
1937 Class – Front Row: Donald I. Stewart, Ruth Bowen, Rhoda Haley, Gerald Darling, Roy Bradley Back Row: Miss Beryl Snider (Teacher), Harold Murray, Clarence Darling, Alan Darling (photo #8)
1950c Spring Valley Class (photo #9)
1954 School Choir at the Lions Music – Festival Front Row: James Taggart, Rosemary Beach, Maria Bax, Dorothy Ellis, Leota Perkins, Jeanette Bax, Gail Quinn, Geraldine Mulder Back Row: Sydney Bolton, William Taggart, Albert Mulder, Donna Tristram, Shirley Cooke, Richard Goodfellow, Robert Ellis, William Gilroy (photo #10)
1954 Class: Front: William Taggart, Ronald Perkins, Jimmy Taggart, Glen Perkins, ? Ellis, ? Ellis, ??, Bonnie McDougall, Anne Mearma,Tommy Gilroy, Joan Mulder, Geraldine Mulder Middle: Dickie Dier, John Benton, Martha Bolton, Stanley Perkins, Leota Perkins, ??, Robert Ellis, ??, Sidney Bolton, Rosemary Beach, Maria Bax, Bee Gilroy Back: Mrs. Barrington, Albert Mulder, ??, Jeanette Bax, Shirley Cook, ??, Donna Tristam and ? Murray. (Photo #11)
1955c – Children who helped make a Quilt – Front Row: Billy Gilroy, Stanley Perkins, Ann Merema, Joan Mulder, Bonnie MacDougal, Diane Davis Middle Row: Albert Mulder, Bill Taggart, Dick Deir, Gail Quinn, Robert Ellis, Rosemary Beach, Geraldine Mulder Back Row: Maria Bax, Donna Tristram, Shirley Cooke, Jeannette Bax, Leota Perkins (photo #12)
1955c Spring Cleaning (Photo #13)
1965- Last Class at the school (photo#14)
June 1965- Invitation to the school closing (Photo #15)
Teachers at Spring Valley
1884-1885 Miss Ida Conners
1903 Miss Miriam McConkey (24 pupils in her class)
1904-1907 Miss Lena Davis
1907-1908 Miss Elizabeth Sheldon (pupils averaged 14 to 20)
1878 Miss Jennie Grant
1879 Miss Jennie Barrington
1900 Miss M. Grant
1900 Miss Kendall
1901-1902 Miss Kennedy (27 pupils in her class)
1910 Miss Ethel Brown
1910-1911 Miss Grace Stewart
1911-1912 Miss Grace Bolin
1911-1913 Miss Anna Elliott
1911-1913 Miss Carrie Covey
1911-1913 Miss Alma Stevens
1916-1917 Miss Eleda Beach
1919 Miss Leah Hough
1920 Miss Marion Davidson
1921 Miss Mildred Leacock
1921-1922 Miss Marjorie Godkin
1923-1925 Miss Agnes McCrea
1925-1934 Miss Irene Moore
1934 Miss Melba Dilworth
1935-1937 Miss Elma Weatherhead
1937 Miss Edne Snider
1949-1953 Mrs. Helen Male
1953-1954 Mrs. Elma Barrington
1954-1956 Mrs. Ruth Foster
1956 Mrs. Helen Kilborn (Sep-Nov)
1956-Mrs. Margaret Miller
Other Teachers for who the dates they taught are unknown are:
Miss Ethel Olds
Miss E. Tennant
Mr. A. Davidson
Miss Anderson
Mr. Truman Hayes
Miss Maria McDonald
Miss Eliza Galbraith
Miss Grace McConkey (lived at New Dublin and rode her bicycle to school every day morning and night a distance of 4 miles)
Miss Laura Clow
Miss Hough
Miss M. Godkin
Mrs. Grace Bolin and Son Stewart in 1922 (photo #16)Mrs. Grace Bolin who taught in 1911-1912 (photo #17)
Former Teachers gather at school closing in 1965 (photo #18)
Class of 1957 (photo #19)
1938 – Spring Valley School (photo #20)
1965 – Spring Valley School Closes (photo #21)
Spring Valley at the annual school fair for the area schools. Notice the small model of the school and the hats that the children are wearing are of he school. No date on the photo but from the clothing styles late 1920’s (photo #22)
1978 the school becomes a community hall (photo #23)
1862 School Tax Roll
Name
Conn
Lot
Amount £
Ianus Cameron
4
RS 26
£75.00
John & Richard Taylor
4
Pt 26
£100.00
John & Richard Taylor
4
Pt 22
£25.00
Russell Darling
4
FPT 29
£125.00
Russell Darling
4
Pt 25
£100.00
Joseph Fletcher
4
RP 24,25
£175.00
Avery Wright
4
Pt 21,22
£200.00
Abraham Nibblets & Lang
4
Pt of 21,22
£100.00
Patrick Kugan
5
Pt 20
£50.00
John Rigby
5
Pt 20
£50.00
William Lamb
5
Pt 22,23
£350.00
William Rogers
5
PT 22,23,21
£425.00
Gabriel Worden
4&5
21,22,25
£1,500.00
John Boyd
5
Pt 22,23
£350.00
James Bryan & Son
5
Pt 24
£125.00
Eli Cole
5
F 24
£300.00
Joseph & ?? Bath
5
F 1/2 25
£200.00
James Anderson
5
Pt 24
£100.00
Thomas Achison
5
Lot 26
£350.00
Frederick Moore
4
REP 25
£250.00
Samuel Flint
5
Pt 24
£300.00
?? Moore
4
Pt 21, 22
£250.00
James Campbell
4
R 27
£100.00
If anyone has any information or photographs of the Spring Valley School and would like to add to our history, please contact us.
(S.S. No. 12 Elizabethtown S.S.No. 9 Front of Yonge)
Location of school on a map from 1861-62
Lillie’s School was located at Lillie’s about five miles from Lyn on the Graham Lake Road. The original school was built of wood and located on the west corner of Hendry Road a quarter of a mile west of the new school. The wooden structure blew down in a wind storm. It was replaced by one made of brick in 1880. This school was 40 feet long by 30 feet wide and could accommodate 35 students. The new brick school was used up until school consolidation in the 1960’s. The school was closed in June 1963, and was demolished in 1988.(R&T Focus on the District Feb. 1980)
The school also served as a church and services were held there every two weeks on a Monday evening by Methodists Ministers from Lyn. One the first graduates of Lillie’s School was John Booth who became a provincial land surveyor and helped to survey the counties of Leeds and Grenville.
Lillie’s was a shared school between Elizabethtown and Front of Yonge Townships. This means that students from both areas used the school and costs were split between the two townships.
School Superintendents Report (Ontario Archives)
Shows the following information, which in some cases contradicts what we have already researched, and contradicts other filed School Superintendents Reports:
1850: Stone Building, size 26×36, construction date 1845, condition: Poor
1854: Stone building, first opened in 1842
The following information was extracted from the motion papers of the Elizabethtown Council 1855-1872
That $36 dollars of Clergy money be divided amongst the School Sections of this Township in the following manner, namely Sections No 1 $10, No 12 $5, No 26 $9, No 27 $9.31 cents, No 28 $5, No 29 $2, No 30 $5, No 31 $6 bring union section all the full Sections will leave the sum of $13.11 cents each and the Clerk ? the sum to be paid to the Trustees of each School Section – 1873 (Lyn Museum Archives)
1902 Class – Front Row: Lorne Bolton, Hazel Marshall, Casper Booth, Gladys Booth, Unk 2nd Row: Clifford Bradley, Maydalene Vickery, Loretta Flood, Unk Bolton, Lena Flood, Ernie Bolton, Myrtle Marshall, Harry Marshall, Irene Imerson Back Row: Stanley Bolton, Anna Marshall, Mabel Marshall, Harold Marshall, Iva Marshall (Photo #1)
1911 Class at Lillies (Photo #2)
1914 Class at Lillies (photo #3)
1917 Class – Front Row: Unk, Unk, Maurice Edgley, Vada Edgley, Lorne Bolton 2nd Row: Florence Booth, Birle Chant, Irene Chant Back row: Vada Marshall, Harvey Vickery, Madeline Vickery, Mandy Tait (Teacher), Unk Marshall (photo #4)
1921 Class (photo #5)
1923 Class (photo #6)
1928 Class (photo #7)
1929 Class (photo #8)
1929 Class (photo #9)
1929-31c Class- Only a few identified Front Row: Lyle Cobey 2nd Row: Patricia, Edgely, Jowett Twins Back Row: Edgley, Lawrene Nixon, Marjorie Darling (photo #10)
1939c Lillies Class (photo #11)
1940 Class at Lillies (photo #12)
1941 Lillies Class (photo #13)
1942 – Front Row: Shirley Hendry, Freda Vickery, Verla Booth Back Row: Dorothy Vickery, Margaret Weir; Myrtle Hendry (photo #14)
1942 Lillies Class (photo #15)
1943 Class Front Row: Carl Jowett, Freda Vickery, Eddie Booth, Stuart Salter 2nd Row: Shirley Hendry, Verla Booth; Bernie Herbison; Harold Salter, Jack Darling Back row: George Hendry, Garnet Darling; JohnHendry; Phyllis Vickery; Myrtle Hendry; Margaret Weir – The teacher was Helen Mallory (photo #16)
1944 Lillies (photo #17)
1945 Lillies Class (photo #18)
1946 Lillies Class in the winter (photo #19)
1947 Class at Lillies: Front Row: Rita Sauve, Rene Sauve, Rheal Sauve, Ernest Maisonneuve, Eleanor Hendry, Betty Hendry Back Row: Freda Vickery, Verla Booth, Shirley Hendry, Eddie Booth, Jack Darling, Carl Jowett (photo #20)
1947- Lillies Class (photo #21)
1951 Class (photo #22)
1952 – School Choir for the Lions Club Music Festival (photo #23)
1953 -Front row: Ron Cross, Hugh Edgley, Bob Edgley, Fred Vickery, Terry Darling, Jerry Edbley, Marvin Darling 2nd Row: Nancy Darling, Karen Darling, Myrna Darling, Diane Edgley, Renske Grendel, Anita Merier, Carol Jowett, Frances Vickery, Mary Cross Back Row: Jim Edgley, Dwight Darling, Feike Grendel, Lorraine Mott, Alvin Darling, Mrs. Myrtlee Stainer (teacher) (photo #24)
1954 – School Choir- Lions Club Music Festival (photo #25)
1956 – School Choir Lions Club Music Festival (photo #26)
1957 – School Choir Lions Club Music Festival (photo #27)
1959 – Front Row: Steve Darling, Eddie Zufelt, Violet Pankhurst, Kathy Edgley, Linda Darling, Janice Edgley, Roger Darling, Heather Charles; Raymond Darling, Dave Darling, Sam Dunster 2nd Row: Brenda Edgley, Mary Cross, Charline Darling, Sharon Darling, Nancy Darling, Gloria Charles, Larry Darling, Marvin Darling, Michael Wright Back row: Myrna Darling, Anneta Marier, Diane Edgley, Mrs. Stewart (teacher) Jerry Edgley (photo #28)
1959 – Inside Lillies School (photo #29)
1959 Inside Lillies School (photo #30)
undated photo of the early interior of Lillies School (photo #31)
Lillies School- no date (photo #32)
1988 A closed Lillies School with Garnet Darling sitting on the front step (photo #33)
James (Jim) Cobey, taught at Lillies for 9 years in the 1920’s (father of Rosolin, Fred, Kathleen, Lenora, Genevieve and Lyle (photo #34)
Cobey Family all attended Lillie’s School Front Row: Genevieve, Lenora, Lyle, Kathleen Back Row: Rosalina, Fred (photo #35)
The James Cobey Family (photo #36)
can anyone identify or date this photo (photo #37)
village in the country, some activity or interesting diversion could always be found, to entertain ourselves, and occupy our recreational time. Typical of young children, we discovered a new and very different way of having fun, spending a few hours just relaxing, and, at the same time, touring the country side. Each day, Monday through Friday, the mail had to be delivered to the surrounding rural areas of Lyn, and this particular job belonged to a man named Mr. Ladd. Early every morning he would pick up the mail from the post office at Miller’s General Store, load his truck and head out to the back areas to deliver it. During the summer holidays one of the kids, who happened to be hanging around the store, asked Mr. Ladd, if he could go along, and assist him with the mail, and he agreed. This, as it turned out would be of great help, because now, if the mail box was located on the right hand side of the road, the truck pulled over and the helper could put the mail into the box, thus saving Mr. Ladd, from having to put the truck out of gear, hold the brake, lean over and place it in himself. The truck he drove was an old dark blue 1930’s Chevrolet with a square cab designed to hold two people, and on the back it had a large platform enclosed by front and side racks, probably used at one time to haul cans of milk. Having this helper along became a daily practice. Some of the other kids found out about these little jaunts their friend was making, so they asked Mr. Ladd if it would be all right if they could come along too, and being the good soul he was agreed. It wasn’t long before word spread, and soon the back of that old truck was beginning to fill up with anywhere from six to over a dozen kids. I honestly believe, even it there had been twenty or more kids, wanting to climb aboard and ride along, Mr. Ladd would have found some way of piling every one on. And the group was not all boys. This was one activity in which boys and girls joined together and shared the fun.
